Occlusion Management Techniques for the Visualization of Transportation Networks in Virtual 3D City Models

Abstract

Transportation networks are important components of digital maps. The display of streets and railroad lines are a key for orientation and navigation using traditional and digital maps. While 2D digital maps enable effective communication, their visualization within 3D digital maps, based on virtual 3D city models, is often subject to occlusion that hinders the effective perception. There are a number of approaches to partially resolve occlusion effects within 3D geovirtual environments such as ghosted and cut-away views as well as interactive multi-perspective views are often applied. This paper proposes occlusion hints to emphasize occluded parts of transportation networks. In contrast to existing occlusion management techniques, these present only hints towards occluded parts to the viewer.